Everything Happens For a Reason
by borian-gay
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position. How? By pushing them to their absolute limits.
1. Prologue

Title: Everything Happens For a Reason  
Chapter: Prologue  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count:  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.

AN: This idea actually came to me after playing COD: Modern Warfare 2, although it really has absolutely nothing to do with the game. It just have me headcanons. I really plan to finish this one this time, and I'm very proud of the idea. I do tend to have darker fics, so do be warned. I'm not one hundred percent sure where this will be headed. Enjoy!

* * *

Blurry, grey eyes pored over blueprints, notes, and books, checking over every last detail. The wisdom goddess was not one for mistakes, and triple checked every possible component, just to be sure. Besides, this project was not something she could afford to screw up. These were her plans, and the others relied on them, to accomplish their tasks. This machine, could solve all problems, and something like that needed a clever, and savvy mind behind it's creation.

Rough hands worked steadily, wielding metals into impossible shapes, smoothing and bending, hammering and heating. This was also very important for the project. Carefully following his sisters blueprints, the blacksmith carefully created the shape before him. The machine had to be the right size, it's shape perfect for proper functioning, made of the right materials, and needed the right amount of space to fill it with the magic of a goddess.

Said deity lifted two delicate, pale hands, and whispered an incantation of chances and cheats, of healing and unlimited power. The object before her, so small and carefully crafted, beautiful and powerful, began to glow, as her magic filled it's molecules, filling it with a purpose, a reason to be so perfect. The air began to shimmer, and the witch goddess grinned, proud to have such capability and talent, used for such an immense project.

The three gathered around the object as the light faded, and the air returned to normal. A small smile graced each of the three's lips, pride gleaming on their faces. At last, their creation of virtue, and dedication to their King, their creation of importance, that would change the lives of the gods forever, was finally complete.

"Father," Athena exclaimed, entering the council hall with a bowed head. "At last we have finished your project. At last we have the power to undo what was once done, and to heal any ailment. We will have made you proud father, do not doubt that for a minute. The creation is complete!"

Hephaestus and Hecate entered the hall as well, the male carrying their creation in his calloused hands. Zeus raised and eyebrow, standing and walking towards his son, to get a better look at the object. It was a circular disk, about 2 inches thick, made of pure gold. Its centre was thin strips of gold, twisted into intricate shapes, almost rune-like. A small button lay in the centre of the runes.

"Impressive." Zeus offered, nodding appreciatively. "You three should indeed take pride in this creation. Now, how does it, and does it in fact, operate?"

Hecate stepped forward, smiling. "My lord, Zeus, I have complete faith in my partner's abilities, as well as my own. The disk should function fine, if not flawlessly. Months of planning went into it after all."

"As for how it works, it's quite simple. At least, to explain." Hephaestus said, clasping his hands together excitedly. His excitement was infectious, and all of the other Olympians in the room sat forward, waiting almost impatiently for his explanation.

"It runs on the magic Hecate infused it with. Of course, it would not be powerful enough to undo any wrong, as that is beyond any gods ability. But the runes Athena designed, and I created, enhance that magic tenfold, creating an excruciatingly powerful device."

"Shall we test it?" Athena asked, a knowing fire in her eyes. Hephaestus nodded, handing the disk to his father.

"Pierce your thumb. And then press the button in the middle." Hecate instructed. Zeus obliged, pulling a dagger from his belt, and easily piercing his thumb, ichor trickling down the appendage.

The other Olympians could only stare in awe, as their King made to press the button, face never wavering from his determined expression.

Click. A mild light erupted from the disk, nearly causing Zeus to drop it, but caught himself just in time. A few gasps could be heard, but the three creators only smiled, having faith in their device.  
Slowly, the light began to fade, and when it had, Zeus inspected his thumb. He gaped in shock. The device had worked.

Where the cut had once been, was now only a near invisible scar.


	2. Take Down

Title: Everything Happens For a Reason  
Chapter: 1, Take Over  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 1336  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.

AN: So, here's Chapter 1, already. :D I'm so excited to write this, I just had to publish again. :) Also, this fic is un-beta'd, and I sometimes don't feel like reviewing it ten million times, so if anyone wants to be my beta, send me a message, and you're hired. :D Enjoy!

* * *

Olympus was buzzing. The creation of the golden disk was some of the most fascinating news anyone had heard in a while, and it's powers were unimaginable. Something like that had to be talked about.

A few hours after the unveiling of the disk, a man quickly left the room upon hearing the information, feigning illness. He rushed through the city, cloak drawn high upon his head, blending with the shadows. Once he deemed he'd reached a safe, secluded spot, he teleported back to his masters' temple.

"My lord," He spoke, moving towards his shrine. "I, your spy, bring news from Olympus. Information that may be of use to you."

"Speak," A gravelly voice bellowed, echoing around the temple. The spy smirked, bowing his head.

"My lord. The wenches, Hecate and Athena, and the cripple, Hephaestus, have created an object, said to undo absolutely anything, and to heal any ailment. It is infused with the magic of Hecate herself, and is nearly unmatchable in power."

The room was silent for a long while, and the servant waited patiently for his master's opinion.  
"This... Is very valuable information, Apophis. You shall be rewarded soon enough. As of now... I have some plotting to do."

The spy smiled, a cruel grin, and bowed. "Of course, my lord. If there's any way I could be of service..."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll have use of you very soon."

* * *

Three dark figures crept past body after body, an aftermath of the party that had been held. Only a few of the more well respected gods had remained conscious after the onslaught on alcohol everyone had consumed- but most were still unbelievably drunk. That was what happened at Olympian parties, when the wine was spiked.

The servants of the time lord wasted no time in making their way to the vault that held the golden disk. Their master needed it to ensure his rise to power, and nothing would stand in their way.

Two guards stood in front of the vault door, chatting quietly. They were unaware that their death was mere seconds away, when an arrow flew into each head.

"Too easy." Apophis sighed, jogging towards the door, unlocking it with a flick of his wrist, magic easily unlocking it for him.

The three men entered the vault, wasting no time in retrieving the golden disk. "You'd think they'd have better security for such a valuable object." The leader snickered, leading his men out the way they came. "And now, to lord Cronus."

* * *

Hades sat in the banquet hall, watching the breakfast lay out before him. Everyone was hungover, but was unsure how it happened so. Ever Athena was woozy, yet she claimed not have drank any wine. These things were always a disaster for Hades, and he'd lost interest a long time ago.

"Brother!" A voice cried out, before he was enveloped in a hug. Great. He thought. Another thing he'd lost interest in a long time ago.

"How are you?" Zeus demanded, grinning from ear to ear, eyes glassy.

"I'm fine." Hades said coldly. "You're hungover brother. I do not wish to speak to you in such a state."

Zeus pouted. "Aww, Hades, don't be such a downer. I simply wish to speak with my eldest brother, and see how he is faring!"

"And I simply wish to be left alone. You've already gotten everyone into a right big mess. Was something wrong with your wine?"

Zeus frowned, scratching his bare chin. "No. Everyone must have just gotten caught up in the festivities."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Right."

Zeus suddenly brightened up. "Hey! I have an idea. Let's see if we can undo everyone's hangover!"

Hades blinked. "What?"

"You'll see!"

Zeus grabbed Hades hand, not listening to the elders protests, and led him down several hallways.

"Zeus, stop! Where are we going?"

Zeus didn't answer, but stopped in front of a large door. "What...?"

"Zeus?" Hades questioned, before glancing at the floor. Two dead bodies lie there, arrows sticking out of their helms. "Zeus?!"

Zeus stared in shock at the men, before quickly pushing open the door, gasping as he saw what lie inside. "The disk!" He cried, running towards a pedestal. "The disk! It is gone!"

Hades frowned. "You mean the one that reverses anything?"

"Yes! And now it's gone!"

Hades jaw dropped. "That's it. Zeus, that's why everyone was so drunk, passed out. Someone drugged the wine, so they could break in and steal your golden disk."

Zeus looked flabbergasted. "It can't be..."

Hades sighed. "Look at what's happened! It's the only logical answer. You need to find out who did it and why, before something bad happens."

"Me?!" Zeus demanded. "Why me? Aren't you going to help."

"This is your realm Zeus, your kingdom, your disk, your problem."

Zeus frowned, before running back to the banquet hall. Hades sighed, and followed him. But what they saw once they got there, was completely unexpected.

"Shit." Hades whispered.

* * *

"You foolishly left your disk so unguarded, it was simple for my men to take it. And now, I've come to take back my throne, and let the titans rule once more!" Cronus snarled around at the gods, who, in their hungover stupor, could only cower in fear. Hades breath caught in his throat. Zeus stared at their father in uncensored shock.

"Aha." Cronus grinned, walking through the crowd, towards two of his sons. Poseidon watched from the side of the room, eyes wide with fear. "My sons, how wonderful it is to see you again. Missed me?"

"Screw you." Hades growled.

Cronus snarled once more. "Temper, I see? I always remember you being respectful, and reserved. Except for, you know, kidnapping Persephone." He turned and grinned at Hades' wife, gaining a tremendous glare from his eldest son. "Now, I have come here to rule you all, as you already know. And it's going to be easy, because none of you will be able to stop me."

At that moment, a large group of Cronus worshippers entered the room, bearing weapons and armour.

"It's up to you Zeus." Cronus smirked. "Surrender now, or we'll kill all of your helpless... Subjects."

Under normal circumstances, Zeus would have fought. His kingdom was full to the brim of well trained warriors. But, everyone was incapable of such amazing feats as they normally would, due to the other substance that must have been in the wine.

Hades looked to his brother, unsure of what to say. He was seething with anger, but held it in. Instead, he turned to his father.

"How did you get into the palace? How are you back? Or if I may ask, was it the disk?"

Cronus grinned cruelly. "You've uncovered the truth, son. Well done."

"I don't want your praise." Hades spat.

Cronus rolled his eyes. "Zeus, son. Your decision?"

Zeus closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. He could let so many people die, for his right to the throne. But who knew how many would die under Cronus's rule?

"Time's up." Cronus chuckled. "Shackle them."

* * *

Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon had all put up a fight, but it was futile. It was the three of them against an army of brain-washed followers. Everyone else was too drunk, frightened, or confused to do much. Neither of them had ever felt quite so hopeless.

Once in their cell- The same room they'd held Cronus in once before, Zeus began to yell, kicking the walls in frustration. Poseidon sat down on the bed, head in his hands. Hades stared out the cell door.

"How could this have happened?" Zeus cried, glaring at everything that moved. "How could we have let our defenses fall so easily?"

Hades shook his head. "There's no way we could have predicted-"

"I don't care!" Zeus screamed. "We should have kept the disk more protected."

Poseidon looked up. "What will we do now?"

Hades shook his head once more. "I'm afraid I do not know. We wait to find out what Cronus has planned for us."


	3. Instructions

Title: Everything Happens for a Reason  
Chapter: 2, Instructions  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 1119  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: So, I want to give a huge thanks to FantasyRW14 for being my beta for this chapter, and hopefully, more to come! And also for being a huge support for this fic. Also, this chapter is a bit more of a filler, with some information and such, before the real stuff starts. But anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Poseidon was very close to sleep. He was on the brink of falling into that blissful darkness that could soothe any ache- or kindle the fire with nightmares. A time to forget yourself in a world of dreams. The cool veil of sleep was something he desperately craved, especially after nearly a day of constant stress and fear. He and his brothers knew not what their father had in store for them.

He was knocked out of his half- conscious state by the sound of their cell door opening. He scrambled to his feet, giving a sharp cry to wake his siblings. Hades' eyes snapped open, and Zeus sat up so suddenly, he hit his head on a chair.

They barely had time to straighten themselves out; Zeus rubbed his head before Cronus stormed into their cell, eyes full of malice.

"My sons, I have decided upon a punishment for how you treated me the last few millennia."

"We did nothing wrong. You had everything coming," Hades snarled, glaring at his father with hatred in his eyes.

Cronus growled, stepping forward menacingly. "You dare? All I meant was to remain king! I was good at it! I was meant to rule!"

"You swallowed us out of fear! A good king could know what was coming for him, and deal with it like a man. You were a coward, terrified of losing your power. You sunk so low as to be rid of your own children! Time in Tartarus was less than you deserved!"

Cronus acted so quickly, no one had time to react. He reached out and slapped his eldest son across the face, a resounding slap, followed by the gasps of Zeus and Poseidon filling the air.

Hades turned his head back towards his father, a glare fixated on his father. "You think anything you do will change my mind? Change the fact that in my eyes, you are nothing but a coward, and that's all you'll ever be."

"You dare!" Cronus cried.

"Yes," Hades said softly, dangerously, "I do."

"Helios!"

The light titan walked into the cell, holding three metal bracelets in his palm. Cronus barked a command, and faster than they could think, Helios had attached one to each of the brothers, and left the cell.

"Wha...?" Zeus said, tugging at the bracelet. "What is this? Get it off of me!"

Cronus smiled. "This is so we can give you your instructions as you work your way through your trap. Your brother brought it on worse."

The three kings stared at their father in confusion. "What do you mean?" Hades asked, trying not to let the fear seep into his voice.

"Come with me."

The three of them did not go willingly of course, and there was some kicking, screaming, and threats of death once they got free, but eventually arrived at Cronus' destination. It was a door, a metal door.

"In here lies an abandoned city. Or rather, a city I had evacuated and partially destroyed just for you three! Feel special?"

"And what do you intend for us to do with this city?" Poseidon asked, anger building up within him. Cronus had taken people from their homes- killed them, most likely, and then destroyed their home- so he could punish his sons. It was disgusting.

"With those bracelets I'll be able to give you instructions through there. Follow my instructions; simple as that. Failure to follow instructions will end in pain."

Zeus shook his head. "No, absolutely not; how do we know that following your instructions won't get us killed extremely painfully?"

"It will. That's exactly what should happen. But for us, it's a game, and you have a slight chance for survival, if you can get through the trap."

"You're sick," Poseidon choked out. Cronus had stormed upon them when they were most vulnerable and defenseless, by his doing, and had taken over. He used their own creation against them. That was disgusting, too.

"Thank you," Cronus grinned. The door behind them opened, and before they had a chance to say anything, they were tossed through the opening into the place where their torture began.

* * *

Zeus slowly opened his eyes, body sore. He sat up, rubbing his head, confusion scrawled across his face. "Where...?"

"Zeus?" Someone to his left groaned. Zeus looked over to see Poseidon lying on the ground, wincing. "What happened?"

Hades was already standing, and walked over to where the two younger gods were lying on the ground. "That door transported us here, I'm assuming. Although the trip was rather rough," He turned away from them as the brothers climbed to their feet. He glanced around their surroundings, losing hope as he took it all in.

The city was abandoned all right, and several buildings were crumbling. A large barricade towered before them, blocking the street. The only way around was a building to their left.  
"What now, Cronus?" Hades cried to the sky, face a mask of anger. "What do you expect us to do in this hellhole?"

Their fathers' voice rang through the air, coming from the bracelet on Hades wrist. The eldest stared at it in shock, barely registering what his father was saying.  
"Follow the path, and we'll... Keep you updated. Watch out for the mines," he made a loud cackle, and the sound stopped.

"Mines?" Zeus whispered eyes wide. "What is he talking about?"

Hades shrugged. "Father! You cannot expect us to follow through with this! We refuse!"  
A loud groaning sound filled the air, followed by the sound of gunshot. The three cried out in shock before diving to the ground.

"I do expect you to follow through with this. If not- That is your consequence."

Poseidon stood up, eyeing Hades' wrist nervously. His older brother replied shakily. "A-Alright. Just- how do we, the mines- I-"

They heard a sigh, followed by a chuckle. "Look at the floor in the building. That's all you're getting."

"Okay," Hades said a little steadier this time. "J-Just don't do that again."

"What now?" Zeus asked.

"W-We go into that building," Poseidon offered, wringing his hands nervously. Hades stepped down from the pedestal they stood upon, moving carefully towards the designated building.  
"I don't like this at all," Hades whispered, approaching the wooden door with distaste. "What did he mean, 'look at the floor?' How do we know that the minute we even attempt to step through this door, it won't blow?"

"We don't," Zeus said softly. "But if we want to get out of here, that building is where we need to be. I-I'm willing to take the chance."

Hades looked skeptical.  
"Please..." Zeus whispered. "I want out."

Hades sighed, and pushed the door open.


	4. Minefield

Title: Everything Happens for a Reason  
Chapter: 3, Minefield  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 804  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: Here is the third chapter of the fic. Special shoutout and thank you to FantasyRW14 for betaing this once again. I know they are short, but that's how I tend to write… Short and sweet. :) Now, I know this mission seemed kind of boring and easy, which it was. But it was kind of a tester. To see how I could write these situations. It will get much more exciting very soon, trust me. Any who, enjoy!

* * *

Nothing. No explosion, no loud, deafening bang, no loss of limbs. Everything was silent.  
Hades let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and glanced down at the floor, examining it carefully. His eyes strained for something; anything that would hint at the location of the mines. And thanking his lucky stars, found it. In certain spots, the floor was half a shade lighter than the rest. A spot about four floorboards wide.

"Zeus, Poseidon. I have found it out. But whatever you do, do not stray from the path. Step exactly where I step."

"What? Why?" Poseidon asked. "How do you know?"

"The floor; it is lighter in the spots where the mines are located," Hades answered, stepping inside the building.

"I see nothing," Zeus offered helpfully, but followed his brother into the building, making sure to follow Hades' careful footsteps. Poseidon, still unsure, followed as well, holding his breath and crossing his fingers.

One slow step at a time, Hades maneuvered himself and his siblings to one side of the room, eyes never straying from the floor. One wrong move and it was over. Cronus would win, all of Olympus would have to submit to his harsh and cruel rule, and the three of them would be dead. Like, actually dead. Their bodies, as far as he could figure, were mortal, which was a bad sign. He continued following along one side of a barricade, before moving in a diagonal direction towards the next. The mines were fairly easy to avoid, if you stepped with caution. This continued for quite some time, the strain of being slow and quiet, tiptoeing ever so gently around the death traps, causing them all to sweat.

"Almost there," Hades whispered out. "This isn't so bad, just a little further."

He stopped, staring at the floor. Of course, just when he thought it was easy, something more difficult than the rest of the experience popped up. The whole ground in front of them was lighter than the rest, leaving no space for them to go around. "Damn."

"What?" Zeus asked, startled by his brother's sudden pause. "What's wrong?"

Hades cursed. "We have to jump. It's not too far, but still too far to simply step over... I need you two to examine the floor carefully, and make sure you can see the difference. You need to know where it is safe to land."

Zeus obliged, squinting his eyes, carefully scrutinizing the floor. "I- I see it."

"Good," Hades nodded. "Poseidon?"

The middle brother sighed, and looked at the floor, green eyes focusing on floorboards. He just barely noticed the slight difference in shade, and how much of the darker space he had to land on. "Alright, let's jump."

Hades nodded once more, tensing his legs before leaping over the few floorboards. He landed with the smallest of thumps, turning back to watch the other two jump.

Zeus bent the slightest bit and pounced, landing more or less gracefully than Hades did, brushing his hands off. "Easy. This wasn't so bad."

Poseidon readied himself to jump, and with a large bound, landed on the other side, straightening up- Only to stumble, falling towards the floor and a lighter piece of ground.

Hades reached out, quick and deft, catching him just before his elbow connected with the floor. Zeus let out a gasp, before cursing himself, turning away.

Poseidon stood shakily, still clutching Hades' arm.

"I am so sorry. I- I don't know how that happened, I was standing, it was easy, and then I was just falling-"

Hades rolled his eyes. "It's fine. What matters is that we're all still okay. Now come, we're almost out."

The three quickly made it to the end of the room, eager to be outside. Zeus ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. Poseidon was still shaky, wondering how in the hell he stumbled- Nearly causing their death so early. And Hades examined their surroundings, trying to decipher clues as to what was to happen next. He did not want to be on his toes for the next who knows how long.

"Alright, Cronus," Hades said harshly, glaring at the wristband placed painfully and carelessly on his arm, "what further torture and punishment do you have for us? Throw whatever you have at us. You know you will never win."

A chuckle resounded from the other line and Hades grit his teeth in anger. "Well, son, you see the river ahead?"

Hades took a calming breath, glancing back at his brothers, who stood uncomfortably, watching Hades with unease, before turning to look at the river that wound its way to the north; it was moving steadily, the water frothing like a rabid animals mouth. It looked dangerous- deadly, with ragged rocks jutting out of the current. "Yes."

"Cross it."


	5. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Title: Everything Happens for a Reason  
Chapter: 4, Bridge Over Troubled Water  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 2562  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: Like always, a huge thanks to FantasyRW14, for beta-ing this.  
I had a hard time writing this one, only because I have this love/hate relationship with making Zeus cry. I love it, yet it breaks my heart, so there's my dilemma. Another thing, correct me if I am wrong, but what happens to Zeus here is a migraine. I know from experience what they can do, and those of you who recognized the symptoms - I feel for you. It does in fact cause blindness- Or at least funky vision in my case, and it makes you extremely nauseous... I had several other ides, such as daphne poisoning, but that would have been complicated. So here, Zeus just panics and stresses out and BAM he has a hard time seeing. Don't really know where the idea came from, but here it is. Enjoy!

* * *

There may be a time and place when everything seems perfect. Nothing can harm you, nothing can penetrate the walls that surround you and that peace. And those walls are built strong, towering above your haven like a fortress, shielding you from the eyes of harmful predators and monsters. Your biggest worries vanished and your fears nascent. The concept of pain doesn't seem to exist, and you live blissfully on in an endless stretch of peace.

Hades could do nothing but dream of this time. Where his terrifying and horrid reality was nothing more than a blur in the background. Where he no longer has to worry about a death that should have been impossible for himself and his kin. Where raging rivers and clashing rocks were not in the way of his destination- One that would surely not be reached.

But of course, this dream was not achievable. There he stood, a god in a mortal man's body, defenseless and useless. Only two others were in the same position as himself- And they were the only three who could possibly stand up against the one who held them captive. Escaping was an impossible feat- and trying to accomplish such a thing was utterly folly. Their only choice was to push on.

"What do we do?" Zeus asked softly, his eyes devoid of hope as he stared at the rampaging river before them. "There is no possible way we can cross that."

Poseidon sat on the dirty pavement that was once a road, head in his hands. "I have absolutely no control over the water whatsoever. He's drained us of all our power."

Hades shook his head at the two men. "We need to take a closer look at the river. There is more to this than meets the eye; of that I am certain."

And with that, the three brothers began their examination of the river, walking up and down it's length, from the first barricade that blocked their way to the next. The water was loud, and the three had to scream to communicate with one another.

It had been a good hour without any progress, when Zeus shouted from about halfway up the river.

"Brothers! Come quick!"

Hades raced towards the younger, Poseidon close behind as he asked,

"What? What have you found?"

Zeus pointed to a small, round stick shape poking out of the surface of the water, among the rapids and sharp rocks. It was most definitely man-made. Perhaps a lever or an operation system of some kind.

"How shall we get to it?" Poseidon asked, unease evident in his green eyes. Zeus nodded in agreement, his face mirroring his brothers. Hades found it almost amusing, how much the two of them looked to himself in times of stress or fear. Kings they may be, but Hades was still the eldest and wisest of them all.

He didn't grace them with an answer, and instead, carefully climbed down the few rocks at the waters edge, muscles tensed as he tried not to slip. Zeus and Poseidon both voiced a protest, but he paid them no attention, instead focused on the task at hand. He reached for the lever, that was no more than an arms length away, and prayed to any of the others who would listen that he would reach it safely. The water's spray, rushing right past his crouched figure, made it difficult for him to see, but he knew that centralizing his attention on pulling the lever was essential.  
He made a grunt of effort as he stretched towards the lever, his fingers a hair's breadth from the object.

"There!" He cried, fingers now clasped over the lever. He leaned precariously over the rushing water. He pulled on it with all his might, and the lever followed him, resisting only the slightest bit.  
He released the stick, and sat up against the rocks, panting slightly from his efforts.

As he did so, a loud creaking noise joined the sound of the moving water, the centre of the river, not twenty feet away, starting to swell.

"What the..." Zeus whispered as Poseidon helped their other brother back onto the pavement. A large contraption started rising from the river, metallic and slightly rusted. Hades had a growing feeling that things were about to get extremely dangerous, if the thing before them was any indication.

The screeching stopped, and the three approached it carefully, trying to decipher it's purpose.

"It's a bridge." Poseidon stated, indicating the ladder that rose about 30 feet in the air, and a thin platform that stretched across the river.

"You have got to be kidding me," Zeus said in an undertone, eyes wide as he took in the bridge.

"There's no possible way I'm crossing that."

Hades shook his head in disbelief. "It does look rather risky..." He paused, realizing no matter what course of action they took, it could end up messy. The river was swift, and the rocks would certainly not be a joy to land on should one of them fall. Although neither would being shot or tortured to death. "But sitting around and refusing to cross will certainly get us killed."

"I'll go first." Poseidon offered, as he began to ascend the ladder. The other two stood directly beneath him, watching his progress, Zeus a little apprehensively. As he reached the top rung, Poseidon hesitated, only now realizing how thin the bridge truly was; a little less than his two feet pressed together. He glanced down over the side, and immediately regretted that decision, his stomach churning nearly as fast as the river below him. He took a deep, steadying breath, and called down to his brothers.

"It's too thin to crawl across, which I bet would have been safest in most cases!"

Hades sighed and rubbed his forehead as he thought. "Is it slippery?"

Poseidon took a few moments to feel the surface, confusion apparent on his features as it came up dry. "No!" He shook his head. It didn't make sense, as it had just come out of the water.

Perhaps a sign of good fortune, or Cronus playing a trick. More likely the latter. "I'll see how walking across works."

"Poseidon-" Zeus choked out, hands trembling slightly. He was loathe to admit it, but he was terrified of the river. Running water as fast as that had never been his friend, and the thought of crossing it, thirty feet in the air on a skinny platform... It made him feel sick. He watched in horror as Poseidon lifted himself onto the bridge, raising his arms slightly as he tried to balance.

"Alright!" He shouted, and took a step forward, slowly making his way across the platform. Upon reaching the other side, he gave a thumbs up and a grin. "Piece of cake!"

Hades nodded and turned to Zeus. "Do you want to go next?" The elder truly only wanted to be after Zeus, in case something should happen. The youngest looked very frightened.

"Okay." Zeus stuttered out, shakily climbing up onto the ladder. Hades readied himself at the bottom, as Zeus reached the top.

Zeus's heart dropped at the sight of the bridge, knowing Poseidon was right when he said it was too small to crawl across. He'd been hoping Poseidon had been wrong, and that he would've been able to crawl across. To hell with his pride. He risked a glance down at the water, and instantly wished he hadn't. His heart was pounding, and he worried it would give out on him. His entire body was trembling, and his head hurt terribly.

"C'mon you coward," Zeus whispered. "You can do it."

Of course, it was just his luck as his vision began to change. Large spots built up in front of his eyes, strange shapes and patterns, and immediately his stomach began to churn.  
He glanced around, confused and disoriented, unable to properly make out what was in front of him. "H-Hades?" He called down, clutching the platform tightly in his hands.

"What?" His brother answered, sounding slightly irritated, although also worried.

"I- I can't see," He choked out, his shaking increasing. Nausea swelled within him, and he closed his eyes to fight the delirium.

"What?" Hades asked, bewildered. "What on Earth do you mean?"

"I can't see properly," Zeus said, blinking rapidly to fight back his tears of frustration. "I can't cross the bridge if I can't see!"

Hades paced back and forth below, ignoring Poseidon's inquiries as to what was happening. He waved his hand in dismissal and frowned, glancing up at Zeus who refused to move from his  
spot. "Alright, I'm coming up!"

His plan had been to help Zeus across, but the minute he started to climb, the entire contraption began to shake, and he knew it did not want to hold both their weights.

"Zeus, I can't come up. You have to try okay. Take it slow, get down if you absolutely have to. Make the room for yourself to crawl if need be," He paused, then added, "Do you know why you can't see?"

Zeus's voice caught in his throat, despairing. He shook his head, hoping Hades understood his silence. His vision had become ever further blurred by his tears, and he wanted to curl up and cry- In humiliation and frustration. He took one more deep breath, and hoisted himself onto the bridge, stomach lurching as he began to stand. He wobbled a little at first, but then slowly- ever-so slowly, began to inch his way across the bridge, vision still an assortment of shapes and blurriness, stomach in his throat. He placed one tentative foot in front of the other, feeling for the solidness beneath each limb. He didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until his lungs started to ache, and he gulped in a decent amount of oxygen. He wasn't sure how much further he had to walk, and decided to call out to Poseidon.

"Brother?"

Poseidon, who'd been watching Zeus's progress with apprehension, answered swiftly, in a comforting tone,

"Yes?"

Zeus took a deep breath, hands now trembling uncontrollably. "Tell me when I reach the edge, please."

"Of course," came Poseidon's reply.

Zeus nodded, mostly to himself, and continued on, a few tears now falling down his cheeks. He couldn't bring himself to care.

At that moment, a large gust of wind blew past him, a noise that sounded eerily similar to a chuckle on the air. It was not huge, and the two down on the ground hardly noticed the wind, but Zeus did, and he started to sway precariously. He dropped to one knee, still barely keeping his balance, and his shaking did not help the situation. He leaned dangerously to one side, and he cried out, attempting to right himself. He felt as the bridge began to shake, and all of his hopes were lost, as he failed in keeping himself steady.

His grip slipped and he felt his knee lose contact with the bridge, mouth opening in what should have been a scream.

In those few seconds, his mind only had one thought, and that was of just how unfair everything was. His blindness, the wind, what his brothers would now have to face one short... It was so ridiculous and pointless, that when the feeling of a hand wrapping around his arm joined his despair, it was almost unfathomable. Yet there it was, strong and steady as it kept him upon the bridge, bringing his knee back onto the metal, then lifting him back onto his feet, both wobbling as they tried to keep balanced.

"Hades?" He whispered, sensing the elder behind him, and a surge of late relief washed over him. He wasn't dead, drowning, or floating down the river at an alarming speed.

"Shh, just walk. You were almost there."

Zeus obeyed, and took those last scary steps to the edge, where Hades assisted him in getting onto the ladder. The god couldn't help but wonder how Hades had gotten to his side so quickly, but he wasn't about to question it. He also wondered how they'd made it across- The both of them on the rickety bridge, without it collapsing, as it seemed to have wanted to before. He'd felt the tremor, but that had been it. Perhaps it had been more sound than they'd originally thought.

His feet made contact with solid ground, and he fell to it, a small sob sneaking past his lips. He still could not see, his vision swirling, and his stomach queasy . Poseidon, or so he assumed it was, lifted him to his feet and brushed him off, mumbling things that he could not make out, and then there was Hades, wrapping him in a hug and shaking.

"What happened?" Poseidon asked.

Zeus could only shake his head and shrug, words still lost on him.

"Zeus, can you at least try to describe what it's like? Are you truly blind, or is it something else?"

The god in question struggled for words, before slowly getting out,  
"Weird, fuzzy shapes everywhere... I can't see past them."

Hades frowned, and glanced at Poseidon who merely shrugged. The elder sighed, and started up his wristband, speaking angrily into it.

"Alright Cronus. We made it across your river, what will you have us do now?"

The line crackled for a moment, then the titan's voice came through.

"You've done well today. You'll have your break for the night, and you'll receive your next mission tomorrow."

Poseidon gave a sigh of relief, and Zeus sunk to the ground, still trembling and obviously traumatized. Hades brought him to his feet once more, much to the the youngest's annoyance, and dragged them away from the river, into the shelter of a nearby building's awning.

"We'll sleep here, I suppose, and hope Cronus doesn't send something in the night. We'll keep a watch," Hades explained, and let Zeus sit back down. He eyed his youngest brother wearily, knowing full well that Zeus was upset- By his weakness shown that day, by the fear he'd felt.

"Poseidon, I'll keep watch for now. Try and sleep."

The middle god nodded, understanding what Hades was trying to convey, and lay down on the ground, attempting to find a comfortable position to sleep. Hades sat close to Zeus, wrapping an arm around him.

"Are you alright?"

Zeus rolled his eyes, but there was a sort of resignation on his face. "Just wonderful, thanks for asking. ...And my head hurts."

Hades eyed Zeus with concern, wishing they had clean, trustworthy water to drink. He considered getting some from the river, but was unsure if it was contaminated or not. It wouldn't have been below Cronus to make sure it was. "I'm sorry. Anything else?"

Zeus mumbled something, but then blushed, turning away.

Hades shook his head. "I know, it's okay to be scared."

Zeus grumbled, eyes on the dirt. "M' not scared."

This time it was Hades who rolled his eyes, leaning his head atop his brothers. "It's alright. I'm  
scared too."

Zeus's eyes widened, but did not say anything, instead choosing to lean his head on Hades shoulder, closing his eyes. He curled into Hades, sighing and praying for sleep.

Hades leaned back, and hugged his brother close, eyes still wide, watching. It was going to be a long night.


	6. Burn

Title: Everything Happens for a Reason  
Chapter: 5, Burn  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count:  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: I have found a song that gives me total inspiration whilst writing this fic! Ever heard of Over My Head, by the Fray? Yeah. Maybe doesn't fit the situation perfectly, but totally fits in some places.

* * *

Poseidon woke, struggling to remember where he was. Details came back to him slowly as he rubbed his eyes, willing himself to wake. He was vaguely aware of a crackling noise, but was far too wary to care what it was. Part of him wondered why he was so tired in the first place, as he'd never been so out of it when he woke up in the past. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep he'd gotten the previous night. Or perhaps it was even him adjusting to his new mortal body. Whatever the cause, he was tired, and decided he would sleep a little longer.

No such luck. Before he knew it, the crackling grew stronger and a voice was yelling in his ear.

"Get up! Poseidon, get up!" Then murmured, "My fault, my fault!"

Poseidon sat up groggily, rubbing at his eyes once more. "W'as happenin?" He asked, yawning widely.

A face came into focus; Hades' face. It was desperate and he was yelling again, but that didn't worry him.

Hades bit his lip and grabbed his hair. "What's wrong with him?" He asked Zeus, before glancing nervously over his shoulder. "Grab his arm, we've got to move."

Zeus did as he was asked, and the two of them managed to get Poseidon to his feet. Said brother looked angry, but didn't fight it. Maybe he couldn't. "Poseidon!" Hades snapped, glancing behind him once more. "Look!"

He pointed to a blazing fire, eating away at a small building not 50 feet from where they were standing. Already the smoke and heat were becoming strong, and Hades was starting to panic. If the flames bothered Poseidon, he didn't show it. He stared at them blankly. Hades glanced around hurriedly, eyes searching for a possible exit.

"There!" He gripped Poseidon's arm more tightly, and together he and Zeus managed to maneuver themselves towards a small alleyway leading between their building and another one as it caught fire.

Poseidon was heavy, but the other two barely noticed as they ran as quickly as they could down the alley, the sounds of a building collapsing following them.

"Shit!" Hades cursed, and Zeus stared at him in wonder for a moment, before looking ahead as he realized the problem. A large fence grew closer, and Zeus cursed as well.

"Wait, in here!" Zeus cried, leading the three of them through an open doorway into the building to their right- The burning one.

"There's got to be an exit in here somewhere." Zeus glanced around frantically, his eyes alight. "I see it!" He led Hades and Poseidon towards the back of the room, the wall to their right already burning and crumbling. The going was slow, as Poseidon was now unconscious, leaving all of the work to his brothers.

"Seriously, what is wrong with him?" Hades asked incredulously, glaring at the sea god.

They made it to the exit, Zeus reaching for the knob.

"It's jammed shut!" He said angrily, twisting the handle rapidly. There was no lock, and no matter how hard he pushed or pulled, it wouldn't budge. "Typical!"

"Here," Hades offered, placing Poseidon on the ground, watching the quick progression of the flames. It was starting to smoke, and he had to cover his mouth to breathe properly.

Zeus moved away from the door and retched, coughing as he tried to avoid the smoke.

Hades slammed himself against the door, multiple times, and eventually he felt the door begin to give way.

The fire was so close, he could feel it's heat, stinging his eyes, and ever still he coughed.

What a way to go, he thought. I'm a god, and smoke inhalation kills me.

"Zeus, help me!" He cried, and Zeus stopped his gagging long enough to assist his brother in breaking down the door.

"One, two, three!"

They both slammed into the door at once, and it gave way, both of them tumbling out into the fresh air.

Unfortunately, the wall had been weak from the flames, and the whole wall caved in on itself...

And Poseidon.

"Poseidon! No, gods, this is all my fault!" Hades wept, digging through the piles of rubble.

The fire had mysteriously gone out (Cronus, perhaps?) a few minutes after the wall had given in, but the ruins were still hot, leaving Hades with burnt hands as he frantically searched for his brother.

Zeus could only stare at the building in horror, knowing Poseidon was under there, most likely unaware of his position thanks to whatever had made him so delirious.

"I fell asleep," Hades cried. "I didn't mean to, I swear, but I fell asleep and now..." He dabbed at his eyes furiously and continued digging. "No, he's not dead. For fuck's sake Zeus, help me!"

Zeus snapped out of his shock and began to climb onto the rubble, digging, hoping for any sign of Poseidon.

Several painstaking minutes later, Hades uncovered an arm, and he gave a cry of joy.

"I found him!" He began to dig even faster, uncovering more and more of his brother's body, until he was able to drag him out.

"Oh thank gods," He breathed, clinging Poseidon to his chest for a moment, before pulling away to listen for a heartbeat, or breathing.

Zeus gaped at the large gash on Poseidon's head, alongside the burn marks on the rest of his skin. His stomach churned just looking at them.

"He's breathing," Hades said, relieved. "But I don't think he has much time..."

Zeus's heart stopped, realizing what that meant. They were mortal, they could die... No. Poseidon would live.

Hades bit his lip and closed his eyes, trying to gain control of his emotions, before bringing his wrist up to his mouth.

"Alright Cronus. Listen up. If you don't give us some way to heal Poseidon within the next half an hour, the minute I get out of here I will personally escort you back to Tartarus to face a punishment far worse the imprisonment."

The threat was weak, but the venom in Hades' voice was enough to make Cronus hesitate a moment before responding. When he did though, it was in the same condescending voice he always used.

"Patience, son," He sneered. "Look to your left."

Hades frowned, but turned his head to the left, taking in the surroundings. Nothing lie before them but a large wall, and-

And a manhole.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Zeus muttered, staring at the covering distastefully.

Cronus laughed harshly. "Unless of course you don't want to save your brother-"

"We'll do it!" Hades cried, clenching his fists together.

"Find the door inside and go from there." With that, Cronus cut the connection.

Hades knelt down once again next to Poseidon, brushing hair out of his face. His eyes welled up with tears and he once again dabbed at them, angry with himself for getting emotional. He picked Poseidon up and threw him over his shoulder, moving quickly to the manhole. Zeus was quick to open it, and within seconds they were plunging on into the darkness below.


	7. Breathe

Title: Everything Happens For a Reason  
Chapter: 6, Breathe  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, slight torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 1729  
Rating: T  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: Here's chapter 6! I actually made myself cry writing the Zeus/Apollo part. I hope you all like this one as much as I do!

* * *

"Hades let me help, please." Zeus cried, running backwards down the underground tunnel.

Hades had thrown Poseidon over his shoulder and was running as best he could to the room where his healing lie. Poseidon had a matter of minutes before he was dead, and Hades refused to let that happen.

Sweat streamed down his forward, and he grunted with the effort, but Hades picked up the pace, shaking his head at Zeus.

"It'll only slow us down, we need to keep moving."

Hades felt a ray of hope as he saw the door Cronus had been talking about. Zeus rushed forward, quickly opening the door with Hades close behind. Zeus slammed the door and whirled around, only to find a gruesome sight. He let out a gasp and surged forward, sinking to his knees in front of the man shackled to the walls, blood dripping from his forehead and several other places. The man let out a groan and looked up, wincing as if that simple movement was too painful.

"Dad...?" He croaked out and Zeus's eyes filled with tears against his will. He gently ran a hand through his sons hair, and the boy closed his eyes.

"Oh, Apollo..." He whispered. "What did he do to you?"

Apollo took several deep breaths, tears falling from his eyes as he tried to concentrate on answering the question. "He- He told me I'd help you if I-" He gasped, and scrunched his eyes shut once more. "He told me-"

Apollo let out a cry as a large whip came down on his back from the darkness behind him.

Zeus stared in horror. Perhaps Apollo was forbidden from saying anything.

"It's okay, son. Just relax." Zeus said, trying to keep his voice level.

Apollo shook his head. "Door. Over there. The key-" Another lash from the whip came down, and he cried out, head sinking forward. "Dad-"

Hades set Poseidon down on the ground as he realized what was going on. They needed Apollo to heal Poseidon, but first they had to free him.

"Zeus," He said softly, not wanting to interrupt but knowing Poseidon needed help; and fast.

He watched with a sad expression as Zeus cupped his sons head in his arms, pressing a kiss to his head before turning to face Hades.

"What?" He asked, a large frown on his face.

"The door. Apollo mentioned the door. Perhaps a key lies on the other side."

Apollo let out a moan, but nodded. "I- I can help if you free me."

Once again the whip came down, and Apollo let out a shout, biting his lip. Zeus reached out and touched his cheek. "Alright, son. We'll get you the key."

Zeus stood up and approached the door, opening it and glancing inside. He let out a long sigh. "Water. We'll have to swim for it."

Hades shook his head, but glanced down at Poseidon. His burns were gruesome, and his breathing laboured. Hades was worried beyond belief.

"I'll go." Hades and Zeus said in unison, and the elder glared.

"No, Zeus, I'll go. You need to watch over your son and Poseidon."

Zeus crossed his arms in defiance. "You can do it. I'm a better swimmer anyway. Please," He added, eyes pleading with him. Hades glanced between Apollo and Poseidon, before finally giving in. He nodded, and Zeus let out a sigh, taking off his jacket. Hades turned away, allowing Zeus to strip. He'd want warm, dry clothes to come back to. Hades started to feel apprehensive, realizing how stupid of a plan they had.

"Zeus, we have no idea if the key is even down there. The water could just be a trap to drown us... It might not even be water. Let's think this through-"

"No!" Zeus cried angrily. He stood there in nothing but his underwear, his skin shining with sweat- Out of nerves, probably. "I have to, Hades. Apollo and Poseidon's lives depend on this."

Hades knew he could not argue with Zeus, especially not in that moment, and with a sigh of defeat, nodded at Zeus. The god nodded back, and hopped into the water, letting out a gasp as he did so.

"What? What's wrong?" Hades demanded, rushing to the edge. Zeus waved a hand at him.

"It's just a little cold is all. I'll be fine. Watch over them, okay?" And with that, Zeus dove under the water, leaving Hades to sit and wait in complete fear.

* * *

Zeus held his breath as long as he possibly could, swimming as fast as his frozen limbs would allow. It was very dark, and almost impossible to see his own hands, but still he swam on. His lungs began to ache, but he refused to let himself take that wanted gulp of air- As he knew he wouldn't find it.

He'd almost lost all hope, his vision going dim. He wasn't going to save Apollo or his brothers. He'd failed.

Then his head broke the surface and he gasped for breath. "Gods!" He cried out in relief, coughing immediately after he did so. He allowed himself a few moments of breathing before he attempted to adjust to the darkness of the room around him. He swam in one direction, quickly coming into contact with a wall. He treaded water, and felt along the walls for any sign of a key. He soon discovered that the room he was in was very small and almost a perfect square.

It was a very disorienting feeling- Being half submerged in water, yet not being able to see a thing. Not to mention the fact that he was freezing.

He took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from shivering, and continued on his search for the key. He'd gotten himself very turned around, and knew he'd have to focus hard to find the right way out again.

At last he came upon a small latch, and he eagerly pulled it open. He stuck his hand inside the crevice, and felt a small shape. A key like shape. He snatched it up, and turned around, once again feeling the walls and under the water for the exit.

He began to panic as the water seemed to grow almost colder, and he came no closer to finding his way out. The hole he'd come in through had almost disappeared. Zeus was starting to believe that had actually happened- That Cronus had trapped him in the room with no way of escape, when he felt an opening in the wall. He couldn't see it, but he knew that it was there.

He took a large gulp of air, stuck the key in between his lips, and dove under.

* * *

Hades waited in anticipation, pacing back and forth, occasionally checking on both Poseidon and Apollo, but nothing changed. Zeus had not made it back yet, and Hades was seriously starting to worry.

Perhaps Cronus had led them into a trap. Maybe he'd given Apollo false information to hinder the three brothers. Hades wouldn't have put it past the titan to do such a thing. He was cruel and sneaky like that; and he always had been.

Another painstaking ten minutes later, a few bubbles started to form in the water, and Hades jumped to his feet before kneeling near the water, watching anxiously. Within seconds,  
Zeus's head appeared out of the darkness, gasping for breath as he pulled an object out of his mouth. He had a moment before Hades was hauling him out of the water, hugging him tightly regardless of wetness.

"I-I got the key..." Zeus stuttered, shivering violently. Hades nodded, shaking off his jacket and using it to dry Zeus as best he could. "N-No forget about me... Apollo-" He gasped out.

Hades nodded, and took the key from Zeus, quickly moving to unlock Apollo's bonds. The god fell forward, and Hades caught him, dragging him towards the others. "Can you heal him?"

Zeus glared at Hades, but said nothing, attempting to slowly pull on his clothes. Apollo nodded weakly, and placed a hand on Poseidon's burnt forehead, murmuring a few words. A second later, a gasp escaped Poseidon's lips.

Hades fell to his knees next to the middle brother, pulling him into his embrace. Poseidon's burns were fading, but had not completely gone away, and the god grimaced in pain.

"P-Poseidon!" Zeus chattered out, smiling weakly. Poseidon glanced at him and nodded, before collapsing into Hades' arms.

"What happened?" He asked wearily, a tear escaping his lids at the pain he felt.

As Hades explained the most recent of their adventures, Zeus approached Apollo, still shivering violently, and gave him a gentle hug. "Thank you, son." He whispered. Apollo nodded, still bruised and bleeding, but allowed himself a small smile.

"I love you father. You can make it out of here." He said in reply, his face a mask of pain, before a flash of light filled the room and the god was gone. Zeus let out a small whimper.

"Now what?" Poseidon asked, leaning against Hades. The older shrugged, glancing at his brother's wearily. Just then did he notice Zeus's shivering.

"Do you need another jacket?" He asked. Zeus shook his head, although his teeth still chattered.

"I'm f-fine. I'll warm up in a bit..." Poseidon looked doubtful, and painfully motioned for Zeus to sit next to him. The youngest complied, and Poseidon moved to lay his head on Zeus's shoulder.

"Thank you," He said, voice soft. "I don't know what happened... But thank you."

Hades sighed, burying his face in Poseidon's hair for a moment, before standing up.  
"Cronus," He said, bringing his wrist to his lips. "I know this isn't as easy as you're making it out to be."

Cronus laughed as he came into connection. "You're right son. Take a look at Zeus once more. He's a bit of a down-player. Might want to get him some heat soon, or hypothermia will set in."

Hades' mouth dropped open, and he glanced at Zeus who looked guilty. Then did he realize how pale Zeus was. Yet his lips were an unnerving shade of blue, his fingers purple. His shivering continued.

"Fuck."


	8. Weight

Title: Everything Happens for a Reason  
Chapter: 7, Weight  
Warnings: AU, unintentional bodily harm, torture, other stressful situations.  
Characters/Ships: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
Word Count: 1242  
Rating: M  
Summary: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
AN: I sometimes feel like I'm being extremely dramatic, but this is how I write so... This chapter is a bit more filler and brotherly things, but with some stuff at the end there. Next chapter'll be a bit... Dark. Okay a lot. Some serious triggers there.

* * *

Immediately after Zeus was dry, the brothers (more so Hades than Poseidon as the latter was still injured) hurried to warm him up, although had little to work with. Zeus struggled, insisting he would be fine, but his lips were still purple and his shivering never ended.

Their next objective was not yet clear, but that was in the back of their minds. Freedom could wait if Zeus's life was on the line. They just hoped that Cronus could see that.

"P-please stop," Zeus said weakly, eyes half-closed. Hades shook his head defiantly, and continued to rub Zeus's hands in between his own. Poseidon lie with his head on Zeus's shoulder, an arm wrapped around his upper body. Zeus let out a small sigh, glaring at Hades as best he could.

There truly was no point in his protests. Zeus knew he had hypothermia, or at least was on the brink of having it. He had little strength left to fight, and finally gave up, closing his eyes and attempting to fight off the shivering.

"Oh Zeus," Hades whispered, his mouth downturned in a frown.

"Thank you so much," Poseidon said, burying his face in Zeus's shoulder. "If it wasn't for you... I'm just sorry you have to go through this." A tear rolled down Zeus's cheek, and he opened his eyes as best he could.

"Shh," He said, removing his hand from Hades' grip in order to clasp Poseidon's. Hades smiled sadly at the two of them. In times of trouble, people came together, as was the case now. Never before had he felt such a connection with the other two as he did then.

He wished desperately for something to start a fire, but there was no firewood in the damned underground. Let alone matches or flint or even sticks to create flames.

"Zeus, please answer me honestly." Hades said, getting up onto his knees to look at Zeus meaningfully. "How cold are you?"

Zeus took a few moments to form words. "Warmer. I'm still cold, but it's getting better. Is that a good sign?"

Hades didn't know how to respond. He'd never bothered to learn about medicines and healing- For he nor no one he knew would ever need it. Not to mention he never spent time with mortals. He had thought it a waste of time for someone such as himself. How wrong he was.

"I'm not sure, Zeus. Let's just wait a little longer, alright?"

The younger nodded, closing his eyes. "I just want sleep," He murmured.

"Let's get you warm first, alright?" Hades said. "Then you can sleep."

Zeus groaned, attempting to climb to his feet. His movements were slow and sluggish. "Zeus, please!" Hades protested.

Zeus shook his head, wobbling a bit where he stood. "Let's move on."

Poseidon shook his head vigorously. "Come on, brother. Cronus hasn't even given us our next instructions. You're sick, I'm injured.. Let's just wait a night, okay?"

Zeus sighed, head drooping forward. Hades realized what was about to happen a second before it did, reaching his arms out to catch Zeus as he fell.  
"Ooh," He groaned, curling into Hades instinctively. "So tired..."

"You shouldn't exert yourself right now," Hades scolded, pulling Zeus properly into his arms, standing, and moving to sit next to Poseidon once more. Zeus didn't even complain.

"Can I sleep now?" Zeus murmured, yawning. Poseidon chuckled, and Hades rolled his eyes.  
"I suppose. Are you warmer?"

"Yeah..."

"Alright." Hades sighed, sliding Zeus off of him to allow him to lie on the ground, head in his lap. Once again, the other didn't complain, already on his way to sleep. He felt the gods' skin, nodding as he knew it was warming.

"I sure hope he'll be okay," Hades sighed once Zeus started to snore.

"He will be," Poseidon insisted, leaning his head on Hades' shoulder.

Hades nodded, frowning. "I know."

* * *

Zeus awoke, slowly opening his eyes. He sat up carefully, glancing over at his brothers as he rubbed at his eyes. A small smile crept it's way onto his lips. They were both fast asleep.

He was feeling a lot better that morning, if a little groggy. He supposed that was allowed though. His only thought lie with what he'd do to Cronus once he got out. His anger was starting to bubble to the surface again, and he clenched his fists.

Zeus knew he'd get his payback.

Just then, Poseidon started to stir, eyelids flickering. Zeus watched him, expression thoughtful. The sea god awoke with a start, eyes flying open. He glanced up at Zeus and relaxed, sighing heavily.

"Morning," Zeus murmured.

"Morning, brother," Poseidon responded. "You're feeling better, I assume?"

"Very," the younger stated simply, nodding.

Poseidon looked relieved, rising into a sitting position. Zeus glanced at their other brother, grinning.

"Hades is the last to wake," He said. "That's unusual."

"He was still awake when I was on the brink," Poseidon offered. "He was keeping an eye on you."

"You too, probably," Zeus said unecessarily. They both knew it was true.

Of course, it was that moment that Hades woke, sitting up immediately. His hair was disheveled, his eyes glassy.

"Morning," the two younger chorused.

"Errgh," Hades said in response. They both chuckled, and Hades groaned, flopping back down onto his back. "You two are three handfuls each."

This only caused them to laugh more, and before they knew it, Hades was chuckling too. None of them knew what was so funny, just that it felt good to laugh after such a solemn few days.

"Gods," Poseidon said, gasping for breath.

Hades coughed, trying to stop his snickers. Zeus grinned happily, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off of his chest.

A loud crackling came from Poseidon's bracelet, and the three jumped in unison. They'd almost forgotten about their situation in the moment of joy.

"Good morning, boys!" Cronus said cheerfully. "Feeling good?"

"What now?" Hades spat.

Cronus was silent for a moment, a sound similar to air being let out of tire filling the room.

"What-?" Poseidon started.

"Surprise!"

A misty substance began to filter into the room, making the boys' eyes tear up. Poseidon began to cough, and Hades could hardly see through the tears suddenly filling his eyes.

"T-Tear gas!" Zeus gasped out, crawling for the exit. "We have to- Get out!" He began to violently cough, his face swamped by tears.

The other two tried to follow, coughing and crying beyond belief. Zeus reached for the knob, barely able to see it, and twisted it open.

The three ended up in a heap in the hall, retching and sobbing. Hades had to crawl across the hall, throwing up what little was in his stomach. Zeus was on all fours, desperately trying to regain his breath. Poseidon lie sprawled across the floor, trying to staunch his tears.

"Gods," He rasped out, clutching at one of his particularly bad burns. "That was terrible..."

Hades nodded weakly, his face still damp. "They actually use that on mortals?"

No one answered. Hades sighed, wiping his face.

"Gross," Zeus said as he sat up, swallowing with difficulty.

"Alright boys, get up. You've got work to do," Cronus crooned.

The weight was back on their chests, heavier than ever.

* * *

_I'd just like to say now, that I've been writing ahead in this fic, and it's about to get extremely dark. I'll be bumping the rating up to M, so fair warning._


	9. One Man's Pain is Another's Pleasure

**Title**: Everything Happens for a Reason  
**Chapter**: 8, One Man's Pain is Another's Pleasure  
**Warnings**: AU, unintentional bodily harm, torture, other stressful situations. Now mentions/brief scenes of rape/sexual assault.  
**Characters/Ships**: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. No set ships.  
**Word Count**: 1500  
**Rating**: M  
**Summary**: Somewhat futuristic AU. When three gods create a weapon to undo anything, Cronus uses this to his advantage. He has servants steal it, and with the weapon, escapes and takes over Olympus. His first royal decree? Punishing the sons who put him in his position.  
**AN**: _I swear to the gods I was not intending to go here at all. It just sort of happened, and I've strayed so much from my original plan already.. -sigh- Just go with it, I have fluffiness ahead though, and I think you'll all either like or hate what I have in store. Bear with me, and please understand that I don't write these sorts of things for entertainment. I don't enjoy writing them, but I do enjoy writing the healing process. Go with it._

On the brink of unconsciousness, Poseidon thought about a few things.

The first was of his brothers. Oh gods almighty, his brothers. The thought of them caused him unbearable pain. What would they think of him now that he'd been defiled? Now that he'd shown so much weakness, and in front of their very enemy nonetheless. He was the god of the sea, earthquakes, and all things powerful as the sea. And a god like him did not show weakness. He did not cry or scream or plead, no matter what. Whether it be torture or even himself facing down death, he did not cry.

But this.. Was this an exception? Or had he truly broken?

He slammed his fist into the concrete floor, gasping for breath. His entire body ached and it was as if his heart was causing him literal pain. Never before had he felt such an agony.

One has not felt despair so strong until the last bit of hope they're hanging onto is ripped from them. Poseidon's pride, the one thing keeping him fighting in the absolute insanity their father had tossed them into... It was gone. And alongside the constant ache of his heart and the yearning he felt for his brothers to just come to him, help him, anything please, was the numbness starting to swell within him. That was the most frightening thing of all.

* * *

He'd been so easily overpowered, and hated himself for it. After Hades and Zeus had gone off looking for food, he'd fallen asleep. He hadn't meant to, but he'd been so tired... His fault. Now look at where he was.

He'd tried to fight them as they ripped off his clothes, some kissing him, others touching him where he didn't want to be. It was no use- There was five of them and only one of him.

"Are we going to do this?" One of them asked.

"Have to. Cronus's orders."

"Told us to break him."

"And we will."

* * *

Poseidon stood before the group of titans, naked, bound, and shivering. He couldn't control the sobs that wracked through his body. His backside was on fire, the pain making him weak in the knees. Blood dripped down his thighs. The others laughed and he knew he must have been a pathetic sight.

* * *

"Think he's had enough yet boys?" One of the titans said. Poseidon couldn't tell who it was.

"Probably. Besides, the other two will be back soon, and I don't feel like being on the receiving end of Hades' rage." Another said.

"Let's go."

The titans disappeared, leaving Poseidon alone in the room, lying face first on the ground. He managed to curl into a ball, although it killed him to do so. He couldn't stop crying. Talk about feeling like a god.

* * *

That brought him back to the present, having spent a good twenty minutes on the floor, unable to move, or do anything but cry and shiver really.

Just then the door to the small room opened.

"Poseidon we found some- Oh my gods!" Zeus screamed, dropping the bundle he was holding.

The sight before him was gruesome. Poseidon lie curled up on the floor, face stained by tears and turned into a mask of pain. Blood and ..something else dripped between his legs. Zeus thought he might vomit.

"H-Hades!" He called out, before rushing to Poseidon's side. His brother was still conscious.

"Zeus..?" Poseidon whispered, more tears falling from his eyes. "Th-they..."  
"Shh," The younger murmured, taking off his jacket to place over Poseidon's trembling lower half. "Don't speak if you don't want to."

Poseidon nodded, closing his eyes. At that moment Hades walked in, his face instantly morphing into one of pure shock.

"What-"

He rushed to their side, gently taking his brothers' hand.

"Poseidon?" He whispered, eyes wide.

Poseidon let out a sob, grasping Hades' hand tightly. "They took me..." He forced out, tears falling more freely.

Hades' heart broke, his lips downturning in a frown. "Oh Poseidon..." He breathed. Zeus bit his lip, eyes shining. Their brother looked so defeated, and it was a look that did not belong on his face. "We shouldn't have left you alone."

Poseidon shook his head, wincing as he tried to sit up.

"I tried to f-fight them. They overpowered me and I couldn't- I couldn't..." Poseidon whispered out, eyes wide and emotionless. Hades tentatively reached out for him, frowning deeply as Poseidon flinched. He finally relaxed enough to let Hades hold him, curling into his older brother and grasping his shirt as if his life depended on it.

Hades stroked his hair, heart barely able to handle what he was hearing. Zeus sat with his hands over his mouth, tears shining in his eyes. "I might be sick..." He whispered.

"I've never felt so hopeless... And I cried- I cried in front of them..." Poseidon mumbled, his lip trembling. "I'm w-weak... Useless. They should h-have just killed me.."

"Poseidon!" Zeus cried, hands falling to the floor.

"Poseidon, you know that's not true. Crying is allowed. Fear is allowed." Hades said softly. "What they did was horrible, Poseidon. And by no means is this your fault- Nor could you have prevented it."  
"It hurts." Poseidon said, so faintly they almost didn't catch it. Zeus turned away, burying his face in his hands as he wept. He did not hold back as he would have in any other situation.

They all knew there was nothing they could do to help Poseidon's pain for the time being.

"I know," Hades murmured, his voice full of sorrow. "I'm sorry."

Zeus turned back to the others, cheeks stained by tears he just couldn't control anymore. "What are we going to do now?" He choked out.

"You're both going to sleep. You need it," Hades answered, still half holding Poseidon in his arms. The god whimpered, and Zeus nodded, forming his jacket into a pillow. Poseidon managed to sit up, finally reaching over to painfully slide on his ripped pants. He winced.

Hades sat there for a moment, watching them both with a conflicted expression. They'd been injured, tortured, and broken within a couple of hours, while Hades had sat and watched, unscathed. It did pain him to see his brothers in such pain, but he would be okay in the end. The other two... Maybe not.

"Would you two.. Like to lie next to me?" Hades offered. "Just to feel a bit safer..."

Zeus raised an eyebrow, but Poseidon complied, collapsing next to Hades. He shut his eyes tight, curling in on himself.

"Zeus?" Hades offered. If he was going to abandon all of his morals and appearances of being cold and aloof and completely disinterested in his brothers for Poseidon, he might as well do it for Zeus too.

The younger looked apprehensive, before he gave in, sitting next to him.

"This is a change," he mumbled. Poseidon sighed, shifting just a bit closer to Hades. The elder lie down on the concrete, trying to be comfortable, as he reached up to run his fingers gently through Poseidon's hair. Zeus lie next to him, closing his eyes instantly.

Heavy breathing filled the air after a short while, and Hades was led to assume the both of them had fallen asleep. That was, in all honesty, a good thing.

Just then, the smallest of whispers came from the injured god. "...Can you hold me?"

Hades heart was in shambles by then, and he forced out, "Of course I can."

Poseidon took the few painful seconds to move into Hades arms, resting his head on his chest. The older wrapped his free arm around him, stroking his hair once more. He felt a few tears drip onto his shirt.

Zeus had his back to Hades, but it was lightly pressed up against his arm. It was funny how a simple touch could give one so much comfort.. Or ruin them.

The god to his right had been ruined. He lay shivering and sniffling in his arms, trying so desperately to hold it together. The one to his right was far too quiet. Normally they were both so full of life and optimism, regardless of tough times. They were brave leaders and gods alike and by far the strongest people Hades had ever met. They never wept, never trembled with fear.

And now their own father had driven them to the edge, dangled them over the darkness, and had brought them back over and over again. It truly wasn't even the physical side of things that was so damaging- As they had all faced far worse. But it was the fact that death had never been a real threat for any of them, and now everything they did brought them so close. They'd been put at wits end, and one could only handle so much pressure.

Hades knew then, that no matter what happened to him, he would remove that pressure and save his brothers from death, or even worse.. Insanity.


End file.
